Automatic playing mechanism for grand pianos.



R. A. LBADBETER. AUTOMATIC PLAYING MECHANISM FOR GRAND PIANOS.APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 1912 1,108Q'997, Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

712-6'7: 5.5.; as [72 7 272 zar f u? m x, [ea (25 a UNITED STATES PAEENTOFFICE.

RICHARD A. LEADBETEB, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE FARRAN'DCOM- PANY, 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC PLAYING MECHANISM FOR GRAND PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

Application filed July 16, 1912. Serial No. 709,685.

of. Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprove,- ments in Automatic Playing Mechanism for Grand Pianos, ofwhich the following is a cification, reference being had therein toaccompanying drawings.

'The invention relates to combined manually operable and automaticpianos and has particular reference to a" construction for grand pianos.

The invention consists in the novel 'construction and arrangement of theautomatic action in combination with the manually "operable action, andfurther in various structural features as hereinafter set forth. 2o

In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a portion of a grand piano inlongitudinal section with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is across section.

A is the case of a grand piano; B is the key bed; B the key frame; C thekey levers; and D the striking action. The key levers communicatemovement to the striking action through the vertical rods E se' I. curedthereto, which at their upper end engage horizontal levers F; all theparts thus far described beingof known construction.

It is one of the objects of the invention to arrang the automatic actionso as not to require any radical change in the manually operable actionor in the construction of the piano case. To this end the pneumaticaction is arranged in front of the striking action at a point oppositethe fulcrum of the key levers, in which position it will not interferewith any of'the mechanically operating parts of the instrument, orimpair the tone quality.

The automatic action comprises a plurality of tiers of strikingpneumatics G G, etc, preferably connected with a metallic action H; andI is a guide for a series of vertical rods corresponding in number tothe keys of the piano. A portion of these rods J are connected to thepneumatics below the guide I and' extend upward, while additional rods Lare arranged above the guide I and are provided with fingers M whichroject forward ut out of alinement therewith. The connection between therods J and L and into the plane of the rods J horizontally arrangedlevers N, which are fulcrumed at their rear ends to a bar 0, andintermediate their ends are slotted for the passage of the rods E of thepiano action. Upon these rods E are the buttons P, which are in the pathofthe levers N so that the operation of said levers through the mediumof the rods from the pneumatics G G, etc., will impart an upwardmovement to the rods E.

In the adjustment of a piano action it is seldom possible to adjust themechanism for the various keys precisely the same. This necessitatesprovision for adjustment with respect to the automatic action, and Ihave accomplished the desired result in a simple way by the followingconstruction. Each of the levers N is provided at its free end with anadjustable button Q, preferably connected by a turn-screw R, and whichis arranged in alinement with the rods J. There are also providedopposed stops S and T for limiting the movement of the levers N, whichare adjustable through threaded shanks U engaging supporting bars V. Thebutton P upon the ro E is also adjustable, preferably by a threadedengagement with said rod. Thus to adjust the mstrumentthe limits ofmovement of the lever N may be determined by adjustmentof the stops Sand T, while the adjustment of the buttons.

Q, through the medium of the screws R and the adjustment of the buttonsP, will compensate for any variation in the adjustment of the pianoaction. The action of a rand piano is all mounted upon the key framesuch as B, and whenever necessary the whole structure is removable as aunit from the piano case. To permit of this disengagement of the actionwith my improved construction, I have mounted portions of the pneumaticaction also upon the key frame, while a detachable connection isprovided with this pneumatic action, the bellows, and other parts thatare stationary in relation to the piano frame. As shown in Fig. 2- thepneumatic action His mounted through the medium of uprights H and H atopposite ends thereof upon the key frame B, and the shelf WV whichsupports the tracker 'W and motor W is also supported at opposite endsupon the key frame. X is the bellows arranged below the key bed B andconnected by a conduit X beneath the bed to an extension of said conduitX,

striker action is through the medium of L passing through the bed andcoupling to the pneumatic action. This extension K is to he madedetachable from the conduit X in any approved manner and "when detachedwill permit the removal the key frame with all portions of ,hemechanical and pneumatic action supported thereon. There is alsoprovided a detzichahle conduitconnection, not shown, similar to theconduit X" for operating the motor.

ll'hat l claim as my invention is;

1. In a g and piano, the coumination with the piano iltelflil andznzuiuall operative l: levers, of a pneumatic action arranged in frontof the piano action, horizontally tending levers pivoted their nearends, and adjustable pins carried by the ends of the horizontal leversfor engagement with the pneumatic action.

In a grand piano the cmnbiuaticn with a piano action and hcv levershaving. rods extending verticall therefrom. of a pneuthe piano action,an: hey levers having vertical rods extending; upward therefrom. of apneumatic action arranged in front of said piano act-ion and providedwith a pluralitv of tiers of striking; pneuniiatics. horizontal leversarranged above the key levers, fulcruined at their rear ends, theforward ends 0i said levers beingconnected with said strikingpneumatics, and loose engagin; means between intermediate portions ofsaid levers and the vertical rods on said hey levers.

4. In a g and piano the combination with the piano action, and kevlevershaving vertical rods extending upward thereon, of a pneiunatic actionarranged in front of said piano action, and horizontal levers arrangedabove said l-zey levers, being fulcriuned attheir rear ends and slottedintermediate their ends for the free passage of said vertical rods,adjustable engaging means be tween said rods and said levers, adjustablemeans between the free ends of said levers and the striking pneumatics,and an adjustahle stop, for limiting the movemen s of each lever.

5. In a grand piano the combination with a piano action, and hey levershaving vertically extending rods therchn, of a pneu- 111M310 actionarranged in front of said piano action, horizontally extcnding leversshove the respective hey levers, fulcruzncd at their rear ends andslotted intermediate their ends for the free passage of said verticaladjustable buttons on said vertical rods against Whicl .id lovers arepositioned to strike, and adjus -ble connection between the free ends ofsaid levers and their respeciive pneumatics, and adjustable stops forlimi lhc inovcmci'rt, of said levers.

G. n gram Z piano the combination with a piano action, and reg: levershaving vertically extending; rods thereon, of :i pneuma .4: actionarranged in front of the piano acrion above the hey levers, horizontalle vers fulcrum-ed at their rear ends and at their forward ends engagingthe respective "(er actuating oncuinatics, adjustable hearincgs on saidvertical rods for loosely engagging; the resp .ctive horizontal leversat points intermediate their ends, adjustable stops for limiting; themovement of the-free end of each horizontal lever, and adjustableconnection between the free end of said lever and its actuatingpneumatic.

7. In a grand piano the combination with a piano action. and hey levershaving a verticall extending rod connected thereto, of a pneumaticaction, arranged in front of the pit in action above said hey levers andcomp mg a plurality cl. tiers of striking pneumatics, operaiing fingersconnected to tl pneumatics in the several tiers, ar ranged in horizontalalinczuz nt with each, other, horizontal levers for the res 'icctlvclrev levers arranged thereahovc. heing; iulcrumed at their rear crutheir forward ends being in i3I'{)Xll'l'lll to the respective actuatingfingers and being? intermediate their endsin proximity to said vertical.rods. adjustable members on said rods for loosely engaging said levers.al'ljustahlc connections between the free ends of said levers and saidfingers, and stops for limiting the movement, of said levers.

rods,

8. In a. grand piano the combination with 105 they key bed and a keyframe detachably supported thereon, of a pneumatic player action mountedupon said hey frame and removable therewith.

9. Lin :1 grand piano the combination with 11c the hey bed and 'lre vframe del'schahly mounted on said hed of a. somatic player actionmounted upon key frame, a bellows and cooperating mechanism ringedbeneath the hey bed and e. detach: 115

conduit conneching" said bellows with] i tl detached the removal of saidaction with the hey frame.

in presence of two Witnesses.

1e pneumatic action and permitting "when n testimony whereof I allix mysignature 12o

